


Run.

by JetBlackSunshine



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, some violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-09-27
Packaged: 2019-06-21 04:23:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15549531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JetBlackSunshine/pseuds/JetBlackSunshine
Summary: Late one night in the pouring rain a train creaks to a halt altering the course of the life everyone once knew. Suburban streets become battlegrounds and passing strangers become allies. Sometimes all you need to do is run.





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was a story idea that wouldn't get out of my head around Christmas last year as I happened to see a drawing that was a crossover between an anime called Gakkou Gurashi and 5sos. (If you've seen the anime you probably have some idea what kind of story this will be.) This is going to be a short one (probably only about nine or ten chapters) but it also has mature themes and definitely some blood and violence so you've been warned. ^^;

Late one-night Calum sunk back into his seat as the train clicked its way along the tracks. He'd been on the train for a few hours now and was exhausted. He'd just tried out for an important football scholarship at a University in a nearby large city. Deep down, he didn't know why he wanted the scholarship anyway or why he'd travelled so far for it.

As he looked at all the messages asking how it had gone. He was reminded of why he'd done it. His teachers, coach and basically every single person from his small town had anticipated it. With no other clue as to what he was going to do next year he decided to take it. He knew he'd played well today, so there was a good chance he'd be selected. He was glad to a degree, but a small part of him wondered whether he'd made the right choice.

He saw the thick splotches of rain as they hit the window pane, they made loud splashes as they did so. With an annoyed sigh, he slipped his headphones into his ears and let the energetic beats drown out the noise. With headphones in place he looked around noticing that the train was empty by now, the only other visible passengers a pale blonde-haired boy further down the carriage who looked to be avidly playing a DS and a woman a few rows in front dressed in a suit who looked to be fighting sleep.

With a loud sigh, Calum scrolled through his phone as he decided he wanted to see what his mates had been up to for the day. A few seconds later the screen began to freeze and stall. Nothing seemed to want to load. Painfully a small loading symbol appeared on the middle of his screen. Sure enough, a few seconds later his phone blinked at him that he had no reception. _Must be a tunnel_ , he frowned. The train continued to click along the tracks and he looked outside noticing that the lights of the city they were approaching were still visible. They weren't in a tunnel.

Must just be a tower down from the weather. He thought to himself, as he put his phone away. His phone was basically a brick without reception and therefore no internet. There was nothing to watch outside either. He slumped into the seat and closed his eyes going back to listening to his music instead.

Another hour to go, he sighed.

Calum felt the train pull to a jarring stop and opened his eyes to see which station they'd pulled up at. They weren't at one, and it was pitch black outside. The only visible sight his own reflection in the rain splattered mirror. Suddenly the lights above him began to flicker and dim. He heard small gasps of surprise from the other passengers.

A moment later an inhuman groan came out over the loudspeaker. All the passengers jumped as suddenly the carriage was plunged into complete darkness. Calum stood up quickly looking around for a sign of anything amiss. He looked towards where the other passengers had been sitting and he couldn't even see the light coming from the other passengers DS.

The lights will come back on in a minute. Calum told himself, there's just a fault with the train.

Shouldn't they be making an announcement by now? Calum wondered as he squinted his eyes trying to look into the other carriages. Surely some of the other passengers would be trying to work out what was going on. Yet, the others in the carriage didn't seem to be so concerned, he couldn't see any signs of movement outside their carriage.

Silently he waited, the only noises the rain splattering on the trains windows, and his breathing. The time crept by, and he began to grow nervous. If there was something wrong with the train, then why had no-one come to tell them what was going on?

There was a small creak and the train jolted slightly. Calum grabbed onto the seat in front to stop himself from falling. Even as his heart beat quickened, he kept telling himself everything was fine.  Someone would be here soon. There was just a fault with the train. He could see the lights of the city again. When he looked closer though he could see some of the lights flickering. It was probably just a power outage from the storm too.

He heard a woman's scream from the front of the carriage. Calum's head whipped in that direction in concern. He saw a shape down the carriage and could hear a repetitive crunching? Then he heard a loud thump as the shape stood up right. 

He examined it for a moment, he could make out that it had a head, two arms and two legs. It was a person, he thought. Yet why was he so uncertain? There was something off putting about the way its shoulders were slumped as it faced the other direction. 

He turned behind him to see if his other fellow passengers were aware of it. Calum could barely see the woman. Yet he could see the blonde pointing at something. A second later he felt something grab at his shirt and begin to pull him backwards. A small yelp grew in his throat. He tried to turn his head to see what it was. All he could see was its dead soulless eyes. Calum held back a scream as he closed his eyes and hoped he was imagining it.

A second later he heard a loud clang, and faintly heard something groan and then thump. Whatever was pulling him backwards seemed to release him in those moments. He opened his eyes to faintly see the blonde-haired boy standing there with what looked like an umbrella. He paused for a moment, and Calum could faintly see the other males’ pupils searching over the floor with a shocked expression.

A moment later he flung the umbrella up behind him, before bringing it back down towards the ground. Calum's eyes fell to the ground as he examined what the boy was hitting at so violently. He was shocked to find that despite its soulless eyes it looked like a person, but their form was so disfigured that Calum wasn't sure what it was. When he sniffed the air, there was the distinct smell of rotting flesh.

"Stop! Your hurting someone!" Calum yelled at the other guy, although he wasn't sure if he could call that thing a person there was something wrong. Something inhuman.

"No, needs a few more." The other guy muttered as he continued. Calum stood speechless, his own fear preventing him from doing anything to stop him. This other guy was seriously crazy, and he didn’t want to be his next victim. After a few moments the thing let out a loud groan before falling into complete silence.

The other guy examined the form for a moment before he nodded, leaning back onto the train seat in what looked to be relief. His tired eyes flickered to Calum for a moment, who was still staring at him open mouthed.

"What the heck!" Calum glared at the other guy. "You killed it."

"No, I think I just saved your life mate." The boy spoke when he was done. His form reflected by the city lights outside.

Calum stared at the other boy. He quickly felt in his pocket for his phone looking to put the torchlight on. He cursed himself for not thinking of it sooner. The light came on quickly. Illuminating the scene, he pointed it downwards towards where the other boy had been hitting.

He gasped at the disfigured creature, there was a slightly greenish tinge to its skin. If you could call it that for how leathery it looked. Their face was covered with blood and their disfigured teeth were exposed. At least its eyes were closed. It looked something out of a horror movie. He stepped back, almost dropping his phone in the process.

"Shit, it was a zombie." The other boy gasped.

Calum pointed the torch up at the other guy, who blinked as the light hit his eyes. He could see the hint of blood on the umbrella that he now held on his shoulder. He could see the other boy's blonde hair and green eyes much better now. He wore a hoodie with a printed shirt of some band Calum had never heard of.

"Who are you anyway?" Calum asked with narrowed eyebrows.

"Michael." The boy spoke, before looking back at his umbrella. The boy hovered over the disfigured creature. His hands trembled slightly as he went slightly pale. His confidence and determination from a few moments ago quickly fading.

He turned back to Calum, and asked in a shaky voice, "So what's your name?"

"Calum." He replied with a frown, he still was uncertain about the other guy.

Although the boy had asked, he didn't seem to be listening though. He'd bent down beside the creature and seemed to be inspecting it closer with the light of his own phone. Calum realised that the boy seemed quite surprised. Yet why had he acted like he did, it was almost like he'd known what to do.

"How did you know what to do? I mean if it is a real zombie."

"Eerie train was my first hint. Then that women's scream. Thought it looked and smelled kind of off and it looked like it was going to attack you too. So, I just went for it. I punched it first and when it groaned and fell the way that it did. I knew what I had to do." He blushed, noticing Calum's frightened expression, before adding, "I play a lot of video games."

He'd been the kid playing the DS, right? It made sense, Calum supposed.

There was an awful groan and the two of them exchanged glances. Calum shone his phone's torch into the direction of the noise. He could see three more like it entering the carriage. There was a body lying lifeless on the floor in the next carriage. Calum could only assume what had happened to that woman too. He was too afraid to look.

Calum was seriously hoping they were on one of those shows with paid actors. Calum knew that it was so late at night surely, they wouldn't be filming a show like that. For now, it seemed he needed to play along and pretend it was real. Surely Zombies didn't exist. 

Calum frowned at the oncoming horde. He had no idea how to stop them, but Michael had taken down one. Surely, he could stop a couple more.

"Do you think you can stop a few more?" Calum asked the other guy with a nervous glance.

Michael nodded, now holding the umbrella as if it was a baseball bat, "I hope so."

Three were coming into the carriage. Michael raced down the carriage, swinging the umbrella above his head. He knocked one out then the other. The third didn't seem to escape him either. Michael turned back and grinned at Calum. However, the first one he'd knocked down was rising again.

"Michael look out!" Calum yelled loudly.

Michael looked stunned, then let out a small groan. As he swung his umbrella swiftly behind him and aimed it right at the creature's gut. It let out a yelp and Michael continued until it was a collapsed heap on the floor. The second was back as well, growing closer to Michael. Yet Calum’s eyes searched for where the third had went. They were no longer on the floor where they had fell when Michael had first hit it.

"Calum get down!" Michael yelled at him.

Frightened, Calum ducked to the ground. Just as the Zombie leered over him. He quickly scrambled back as he fell. Michael quickly launched onto it. Violently attacking it with his umbrella once more.

They weren't the end though, more of the creatures were coming from both directions. Probably from the other carriages. Both boys frowned, they could barely handle three. Let alone eight or nine. Calum gulped if these zombies were real and kept coming, both he and Michael were so dead. Especially when Michael was the only one who could fight these things. Calum felt as though he was useless. Especially when he wasn't sure if Michael could take them on his own.

Calum could feel tears forming in his eyes, he hated being so useless. Sure, he was good at soccer but for him that's where his skills started and ended. He looked around the carriage, surely there had to be something he could do. That was when he noticed a large fire extinguisher at the end of the carriage, if he could just reach it. He dashed across the carriage climbing over the seats.

As Calum climbed, he felt hands trying to grab at his shirt and pull him back. He faltered for a moment and was falling. He shone the light from his phone in its eyes and it let out a screech. He felt its leathery grip on his leg release. He fell forward slightly and kicked back off the seat. He faintly felt the leathery hand reach to grab him once more.

Kicking it off, Calum landed on the ground and unclasped the pin from the extinguisher. It was heavy, but he flung it at the approaching two. Michael was quickly onto them, stabbing the umbrella at them. Calum gestured towards where the one had risen near Michael. Michael nodded, making quick work of it. Calum looked down into the other carriages finding them to be empty.

"Think that's it?" Michael questioned, almost out of breath as the two of them collapsed into a heap in the middle of the aisle. Calum closed his eyes and listened to the rain pour down as Michael caught his breath.

"Mm." Calum finally nodded, after they'd sat there for a few moments and no more had come.

Calum had so many questions: Where had the zombies come from? How had Michael known how to fight like that? Were there more of them? Could they survive the night? Michael's exhausted expression and his own tired feelings told him that all of this could wait until tomorrow.

They both sat together bundled in the train carriage waiting for the night to be over.

 


	2. Part 2

When morning light came filtering through the carriage, Calum was glad to see that neither of them had become a zombie's snack. He could see a whole horde of them lying dead on the carriage floor. Their disfigured forms more evident in the morning light. There was a pale greenish tinge to their leathery skin, a strange gooey mucus like substance oozed from their bleeding rotting wounds. Calum recoiled, turning away.

A look over at Michael he noticed under his eyes were thick bags indicating lack of sleep, he could only imagine that his would look quite similar. Both were covered on blood and a strange substance, Calum didn't even want to attempt to identify. It was clear as the two smiled weakly at each other that they were both nervous about the day ahead. One look outside suggested that the train hadn't moved from the spot it had been in before. They'd have to have been in some docking yard or on the move to suggest otherwise.

Calum frowned as a sense of dread began to build in his stomach it wasn't a TV show or a dream anymore. Last night had been real. His breath caught and for a moment he had to take deep breath from stopping himself falling into a deep panic. Maybe things were still okay outside of here, perhaps somewhere outside this carriage someone was working in a way to get them out of here. Though he knew deep down that it had been hours, more trains would've passed by now. Someone would've come to rescue them. Yet it had been dead silent all night.

"I'm going to try calling someone." Michael suggested, already pulling out his phone. His face quickly fell, "Or maybe not...there's still no reception."

Calum checked his own phone finding the same problem. He was begining to get the feeling that it wouldn't be back on anytime soon. He shut it off hoping to save power.

"Do you think that maybe this wasn't the only attack?" Calum questioned in a small voice as he tucked his phone back into his pocket.

Michael was silent for a moment before he nodded solemnly, "I'm starting to get the feeling that it wasn't."

Calum's stomach sunk, what had happened last night? How had those creatures made it onto the train like that? Everything had happened so quickly that he wasn't sure.

"We need to get off this train though." Michael frowned. "It could be worse, but we've got to risk it. We have no food."

Calum raised a sceptical eyebrow at the other guy. Yet, he felt his stomach rumble in response and all he could think about was how hungry he was. Sure, he needed food too but was it worth it? What could be lying beyond this carriage door. The cautious side of Calum told him that staying here and waiting for help was the best option. Yet, the train hadn't moved so it wasn't an isolated incident. They could be starving here forever if they didn't leave soon.

"Should we make sure there's no one else left on the train?" Calum asked.

Michael frowned but nodded.

After a moments consideration both stood. Calum walked cautiously behind Michael who held his umbrella threateningly as they walked from carriage to carriage. Each one smelling of death and rotting flesh. Calum's heart sunk as they made it to the end of the train, only to find it empty. There were no other survivors. All the zombies had ended up in their carriage it seemed. Calum could see the hint of blood on some of the train seats and grimaced. That could've been his fate if it wasn't for Michael.

When they made it to the end of the carriages, Michael's eyes searched the final door and reached up to grab the hammer that had a sign above it that read emergency exit and instructed in an emergency to break the glass. He held it in his hand for a moment as he considered it before he smashed it into the doors and they shattered easily.

Together the two of them climbed down from the train. It was a long way down to the tracks, but they landed with a squelch onto the rocks and metal rail below. Calum couldn't help but look around, but they were the only train that had gotten stuck at that point. When Calum looked up he could see the tall towers of buildings on either side of the railway line. The only thing separating them was the silver fence that separated the tracks from the city. Calum squinted and was sure he could see people moving around down there. Why had no one come to help them though?

"Calum, can you run fast?" Michael asked suddenly his eyes on something behind Calum.

"Uh...yeah..."Calum replied, confused at Michaels wording why would that be important.

"Well we better start running..."

Calum looked behind and gasped. He could see a horde of about eight heading towards them. Their disfigured bodies clear in the sunlight. Calum had to stop himself from wanting to vomit. They looked even worse in the daylight.

With no further words needed both boys broke into a run, hearts thumping loudly in their chests. Michael pointed towards a signal control box on the side of the tracks. Calum gave Michael a lift onto the top and Michael quickly turned and helped pull Calum up onto it. Calum felt something pull at his shoe as he was pulled to the somewhat safety. He fell into Michael's arms and they watched as the box was surrounded by dozens of the zombie like creatures. They clawed at the metal box, making any attempt possible to reach them. Calum closed his eyes, they were so dead.

Calum didn't dare open his eyes, he tried to imagine he was anywhere but there. On a soccer field practicing his goals, on a beach in the sun even being stuck in a boring classroom listening to a lecture would be enough. Then he felt a tap on the shoulder. When he opened his eyes again, his eyes met with Michael's. As he looked past him. saw that that most of the zombies were wobbling away from them. He couldn't help but gasp.

"It seems they hear us and follow." Michael frowned, talking in a whisper. "They can't seem to climb very well though. So that makes it easier for us."

Calum nodded, that was one good thing at least. The remaining zombies were now slamming their disfigured bodies against the box. He winced each time, worried they would somehow work out how to make it up here. He wondered just when they'd be able to get back down again, there was good chance of one heard them move they'd all come racing back.

Therefore they sat in silence, the hot sun beating down on them as they waited. He noticed at one point that about half of them had stopped clawing at the signal box and were soon hobbling away. Within half an hour, it was just them left.

With the creatures gone, they both clambered down from the signal box. Calum followed Michael to the fence, using a nearby tree they supported themselves up and over and onto the city streets careful not to snag their clothes on the sharp wires. Calum didn't ask why but Michael seemed to know the trick to get over them.

As they walked, Calum silently hoped that the streets would be full of people and that all of this would just be a nightmare. His heart sunk as they made it to the Main Street where he realised that there was no one around and that not a single shop had any sign of life. In fact, a couple of the restaurants had broken windows and signs of blood, glass and destruction everywhere. Handbags were left in the middle of the streets. Cars and buses left abandoned around the road many of them with broken windows. One or two had crashed into telegraph poles, but doors were left unopened and blood was littered around the scene. Everything looked wrong for this time of day, there was nobody around.

"This is eerie." Calum frowned at Michael who nodded. Calum looked inside the windows of apartment buildings. Some held signs that read SOS. He frowned when he saw one of the windows below was covered in blood and the unfriendly face of a zombie poked out instead. He walked closer to Michael.

"Do you think all those people are dead?" Calum questioned quietly.

"There might be some survivors...." He frowned, his eyes trailed upwards into the blood-stained windows, "Maybe not."

There were patches of blood on the sidewalk, it looked perhaps like it had just been a rough night for police. Yet after last night Michael and Calum knew better. They tried hard not to look.

A few blocks later, and an entire horde emerged. Calum froze up, allowing himself to view their disfigured forms. Some walked crouched over as if they had no spine, others almost as if they were still human, some had teeth missing, a greenish grey tinge to their skin. He felt Michael pull on his arm, dragging him behind a dumpster before the two looked their away. They waited in silence for a few moments. Michael stepped forward ushering them along the side of the brick wall. They crawled along carefully until they were clear.

Then there was an odd groaning noise behind them. The two boys stomachs twisted realising that two of the creatures had followed. Calum was paralysed as Michael leapt forwards immobilising them with his umbrella. They fell to the ground with groans before falling lifeless to the ground.

"Let's go." Michael muttered darkly, perching his umbrella up on his shoulder as he walked past Calum who was staring at their lifeless bodies. Calum couldn't help but feel as if Michael was somehow disappointed in him. So far most of what he'd done was freeze up and gawk at their undead attackers. If Michael had a problem, he didn't mention it as he lead the two of them through the abandoned streets.

They finally made it to a large shopping mall. Calum couldn't help but gasp as he looked up at it. It was about four stories high, with dozens of various shops listed. He frowned, it might have had a few people still working there at the time, so it could be dangerous.

This didn't seem to bother Michael though as he marched up to the glass door and shook it. It was locked. Next, he bashed on it. He held his ear up to it and no sound came out. Much to Calum's confusion, he grinned.

A moment later, Michael moved to the second staff door and swung his umbrella backwards smashing it into the lock. Calum heard a distinct crack and could now see where the metal was bent slightly.

"I think this is called breaking and entering." Calum frowned, stepping away from him as he continued to bash on the lock to pry it open. Calum glanced around fearfully, afraid that the noise would attract back more of the zombies.

"This is called getting supplies." Michael rolled his eyes, "This towns gone to shit anyway if we can make it out of today alive then I think we're doing pretty well."

Calum frowned, eerily Michael's words ringing true. Life as they knew it was going to change, at least for a little while. Any day out here could be their last now.

Michael eventually got the door to open. Calum gasped as they walked inside, unlike the outside it was relatively untouched. It looked as if at any moment the shops could open again. Though both were starting to realise that it quite possibly never would.

Then Calum heard a low rumbling noise and noticed two disfigured creatures hobbling down the level; small security tags evident on both their torn bloodied jeans. Calum's breath caught in his throat. Was nowhere safe anymore?

Michael frowned, "We might just need to get rid of some the previous tenants first though."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! ^^


	3. Part 3

Slowly the weeks began to pass. Neither Calum or Michael had made it much further than the boundaries of the shopping complex since that night on the train. There was little need to go outside while they still seemed to have everything at the mall.

When they'd first arrived, they'd found a few zombies left in the building. Calum assumed that they were probably night staff who would've been working in the building that night. Their tattered and dirty work uniforms gave that away. Michael and Calum had worked together the first day to clear them out. Calum found for someone he'd only met not even a day earlier he had a lot of trust in his fellow survivor.

They'd both agreed that they'd be safe in the shopping complex for a while. There was plenty of food and different things to explore. They'd found a bedding store and had staked it out as it seemed to be the most comfortable place with the least number of doorways. In the last few weeks, they'd made the entire complex into a relatively zombie free zone. There was the occasional one, but both had learnt to expect that.

Eventually, Calum had found a shovel in one of the garden stores, and Michael had found a baseball bat in one of the sports stores. Calum carried the shovel with him nearly everywhere, as did Michael with the baseball bat. It was a step up from the umbrellas. They were surviving somehow.

He'd also learnt a lot about the other, finding out they were the same age. He'd already figured it out, but Michael was a serious gamer, he'd even been in a few serious tournaments and the like. They talked about what they wanted to do in the future, but that conversation ended quickly both seeming to realise that they may never really have that choice.

"Do you think we're the last ones left?" Michael had asked quietly one afternoon as they sat in their safe place in the bedding store.

Calum let out a long sigh at Michael's words. He'd honestly been wondering the exact same thing. Every human they'd come across these past few weeks and months had been recently infected. They'd come for help and it wouldn't take the two of them long to work out what had happened. It was too late. He hated to think about what they'd had to do.

"Maybe not the last ones," Calum suggests, "But I'm starting to think we might be pretty close to it."

Michael had nodded sombrely, "I just wish we knew, you know?"

Calum sighed, knowing exactly what Michael meant. Half-heartedly the boys had been checking their phones, until the power finally ran out on them. Calum hadn't heard from his family and neither had Michael. Both wondered if either of their families were still even alive.

Calum closed his eyes holding back the tears that threatened him. He knew he could cry in front of Michael. They'd both done it enough these past few weeks that it was an almost daily occurrence. Yet he always hated doing it, guiltily knowing that things could be a lot worse. At least for now they had each other.

"Shall we return to our game?" Michael questioned with a weak smile.

With a slight sniffle Calum nodded.

Michael had tried to get at least one of the televisions to work but no power meant they wouldn't even turn on. Even battery powered radios just came up with static silence. With the lights not working, they just used candles and battery torches. They were still on the hunt for a generator but hadn't found one. It was hard to see if there were any in the dark.

Instead they'd had to find more low-tech fun.

"Oh my, Cal." Michael grinned as Calum moved his piece around the monopoly board, bringing it to a stop on Mayfair, "I own Mayfair and it has three houses on it. So, $1400 please."

Calum stared at him in disbelief, "But I'll be bankrupt."

"Not my problem." Michael laughed, rubbing his hands together, "It's not my fault you wasted all your Monopoly money on the low-ranking ones. I've barely had to pay you a cent."

"Fine." Calum growled as he stuffed the money into Michael's outstretched hand.

They'd been at this game for three days now. They'd left it set out on one of the beds the past few nights and played it when they felt like it. Calum had never played a Monopoly game this long before, they usually didn't even make it to building houses until he or his sister would give up as kids.

They'd played a lot of board games lately, as they'd found the shelves full of them in one of the stores. They needed something to do with no power, so they were perfect. The only exception had been Jenga, which the noise of had attracted a couple of zombies to the store. That game had quickly been banned as a result. Along with any sort of sport. Calum silently wished he could kick around a soccer ball even for just a moment.

"Geez, winning Monopoly is tiring. Shall we have some dinner?" Michael asked, stretching out his arms.

Calum nodded, and Michael moved towards their food store. There was the rip, tear sound of a box opening, and Calum noted the obvious scowl on Michael's face.

"Bother, we're out of cans. We better go down and get more from the supermarket." Michael frowned down at their supplies.

Sure enough when Calum looked over Michael's shoulder the box was almost empty.

Calum nodded, though he hated going down there. It had been easy the first few days when the fruit and vegetables were still fresh. Now that they had started rotting, it was absolutely disgusting down there. The two of them were considering clearing it all out and leaving it for the zombies. It also didn't help that the basement that the supermarkets were on was only lit up by their torches rather than the natural lighting from the shopping centres roof like the rest of the complex.

Collecting up their backpacks, bat and shovel, they took the stairs down to the supermarket. Calum quickly raised his hand to his mouth to block the smell from the rotting fruit and vegetables. He was surprised that there wasn't dozens of fruit flies and other insects down here by now.

Following Michael, they headed towards the canned food aisle. Thankfully they'd only made a small dent in what was there. Two people didn't need a lot of food. Though Calum had to admit he was missing things like hamburgers, chips and ice-cream. All those sorts of things had gone off by now or required electricity to make. Anything that they could cook with a small fire and barbecue was fine though, they'd found enough supplies for that from a homeware and a camping store on the second floor.

The two of them loaded their backpacks up with the canned food. Barely looking at what flavour was there. It didn't matter anymore, food was food. On the way out, they detoured via the lollies and crisps. Two things that were sweet and didn't go off and grabbed a few packets of each.

This was so routine to them by now that they almost didn't have to ask each other what they needed.

With a nod, they began to head back up towards the bedding store that they currently occupied. Both of their eyes scanned around the complex ensuring that there wasn't a single zombie in sight.

Calum caught sight of a shadowy object as it moved slowly across the corridor a few shops in front of them. Calum frowned, he thought they'd chased most of them out of here earlier in the week but there was usually at least one that refused to leave. There wasn't a lot to be done about it, zombies were zombies after all.

Calum thought they should take another route and deal with the zombie later. But, Michael pointed in that direction, not daring to speak a word in case he drew it back. Together they walked carefully down the corridor towards it until they came to the corner it had gone down.

Calum held Michael back by raising out his hand. Michael raised an eyebrow at him. Calum peeked around the corner his heart thumping loudly in his chest. He could see its form as it crouched over something. He could see a flash of blonde hair.

He raised his shovel ready to strike and raced from around the corner. He heard Michael swear under his breath. The intruder turned their head and Calum froze in the air. He couldn't help but gasp, the guy was filthy dirty, but his blue eyes were striking not soulless. A human? It was an unusual sight, considering for weeks the only other one he'd seen was Michael. Oh, and the few humans the first few weeks that they'd found or had come to the shopping mall that had been bitten. He must've climbed through the barrier they'd made to keep the zombies out that's the only way someone else could've made it in here these days.

Startled, Calum pointed his shovel at him, and glared, "Who are you?"

The blonde blinked at Calum, he looked startled by the other boy's presence. Calum felt Michael come up from behind him as he let out a surprised gasp. He'd expected it to be a zombie as well. His swearing had indicated as much.

"Please you have to help, my friends hurt." The boy spoke, his eyes suddenly welling with tears.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always thank you so much for reading!


	4. Part 4

"Please you have to help me, my friends hurt." The blonde repeated, when neither Calum or Michael spoke. His eyes were filling with tears as they streamed down his filthy face. Calum couldn't help but wonder what this guy had been through to get here. Though another part of him just wanted to check him for visible bites.

"Look if they're about to turn into one of those zombies, your out of luck kid." Michael spoke darkly, as he crossed his arms, "Their already dead."

"He's not. I swear you have to help me." The blonde pleaded once more, "Please."

Michael frowned, and Calum could see the grip tightening on his bat. He narrowed his eyebrows at the newcomer, "What about you, you haven't been bitten have you?"

"Michael," Calum growled, glaring back at him. He knew they needed to be careful here.

"No, do you think I'd be that stupid?" The blonde growled, shooting an icy glare at Michael, "I'd have made sure I was dead by now,"

Calum quickly noted the tension between the two of them and raised his arm. The guy had said his friend was injured, fighting wouldn't solve anything.

Calum turned to the guy, "What do you need?"

"I'm not sure, a bandage maybe?" The blonde asked. "He tripped over when we were walking through a railway tunnel about an hour ago. I think he might have twisted his ankle and has a massive scrape on his leg. I'm scared it'll get infected as he's been having trouble walking on that leg. Besides it looks really gross too."

Calum considered the blonde's words for a moment. Sounded easy enough, nothing that wouldn't have been considered that harmless a few months ago. With the state of things, there was limited access to medical supplies. Except for here. The answer was simple.

"Is he nearby?" Calum asked. He hoped the guy's friend wasn't still trapped in the tunnel or he'd be a meal in no time.

"Yeah, I left him just inside the entrance to the mall as he couldn't walk much further. I'll take you to him, it's not far." The blonde spoke his eyes lighting up, seeming to realise they were going to help him.

Calum nodded.

Luke turned and ushered for Calum to follow behind him. Calum took a few steps after Luke, until he was pulled backwards by a strong arm and voice.

"Are you crazy?" Michael questioned.

Calum blinked for a moment, stunned by Michael's furious expression. Luke had turned back to look at them confused, he'd thought they were going to help him.

"No, it won't hurt to check." Calum said, staring down Michael. He lowered his voice making sure that Luke wouldn't hear, "Besides you know what we need to do if it goes wrong. We can't have any more zombies hanging around here."

Michael frowned at Calum but nodded. They'd had to do horrible things since they'd worked out zombie bites turned people into more of them. Calum silently hoped this wasn't another of those missions. He had hope though, he wasn't used to humans asking him for help that knew the risks of being bitten. He'd even said he'd be dead before he let that happen. So, Calum hoped that meant his friend did too.

Michael let out a long sigh before he trenched behind Calum and the blonde-haired guy. Gripping his bat tightly. "We're checking him for bites first." Michael mumbled as they walked.

Calum rolled his eyes, it was almost standard by now, "Of course we are."

The blonde-haired boy didn't seem to hear them or pretended not to as he lead them back through the shopping centre. Calum wondered if Michael had been hurt whether he could ignore someone talking like they were. He couldn't help but admire the blonde-haired guy for that.

"So, do you have a name?" Calum asked, hoping that they could make friends with the newcomer even if he was only here for a little while.

The boy looked stunned for a moment, "Luke, you?"

"I'm Calum and this is Michael." He explained.

"And this is Ashton." Luke spoke as he pointed to a shape up ahead.

A guy with wavy dark blonde hair sat there dressed in a khaki bomber jacket with two roughly crafted crossbows leant up against the wall with sets of arrows beside him. The exhaustion was clear in his expression, his head was leant back against the wall, and he had his eyes closed. He jolted upright when he heard their footsteps, he looked in their direction and a fearful look suddenly came across the guys face as he saw Luke with Calum and Michael. His hand moved towards the nearest cross bow.

Luke smiled at his friend, gesturing for him to lower his arm, "It's okay, Ash. They've come to help."

The guys eyes flickered between the three of them, his eyes paused on Calum's shovel and Michael's bat. He raised an eyebrow at Luke who was nodding. Slowly his hand moved away from the crossbow.

"I see. Uh thanks?" Ashton spoke.

At first glance Ashton looked fine, he looked exhausted but otherwise okay. Calum's eyes fell on the boys' leg. There was a large gash along one side of it, it was red and was oozing slightly. The spot around his ankle was a slightly swollen purple. No wonder Luke had been worried about it getting infected, especially with what it must be like out there. Calum shivered at the thought.

"Can I have a look?" Calum questioned, ignoring Michael's wary gaze. It must've still looked like a bite to him. To be honest, Calum wasn't too sure either.

Ashton nodded slowly, he looked to Luke for a moment as if making sure he thought they were okay. Calum kneeled, examining it. A friend of his had done something like this before when he'd fell of a fence at soccer one Saturday. It hadn't started to get inflamed like this, but it was similar enough.

"We were being chased by a whole hoard of them." Ashton frowned as he explained to Calum as he inspected the leg. "We finally managed to get away, but we decided to take the tunnel that would be the quickest route through the mountain. My torchlight went out, and I managed to trip and twist my ankle." He sighed, "I thought it wasn't much, but Luke reckons it'll start getting infected soon if I don't take better care of it."

"Luke's probably right." Calum nodded, "At this stage all you should need is a bandage and a little bit of disinfectant on the wound. Keep off it for a few days and you should be fine." Calum tried his best to give the newcomer a warm smile. Ashton sighed in relief. As did Luke and even Michael who until now had still looked rather skeptical.

Ashton tried to stand up, but it quickly became evident that Luke was right about Ashton having trouble walking. The three of them took his arms and worked to help Ashton further inside the shopping complex. Calum and Michael led them to the chemist on the first floor, it was almost fully stocked as the two of them had barely used anything from in here. Only the odd bandaid or panadol.

"You've got everything here." Luke gestured to the wall of bandages left from the store. His eyes widened in amazement, "You two are seriously the only ones here?"

"Yeah, it's just us and the odd zombie. All these supplies are the perks of riding this thing out in a shopping complex." Michael grinned, his mood had improved a lot since they'd worked out Ashton wasn't a threat.

"If this is so impressive. Where have you been all this time?" Calum questioned.

Neither Ashton or Luke responded for a moment. Calum bit his lip afraid of the answer, perhaps things were worse out there than he thought. They'd met outside people before but had never talked to them long enough without finding a bite or having to watch as they began succumbing to their wounds.

"We stuck at home for a while, the infection didn't spread as quickly where we were." Luke begun, his eyes moving hesitantly to Ashton who nodded, "A few towns were decimated within a few hours, ours a few days. We were running out of food and water and the electricity was sketchy, a lot of the supermarkets had been raided too. So, we decided to leave."

The infection? Was this what they'd called it? It seemed much worse than that. Calum realised even if they hadn't been on that train fate may not have been so kind to them. What their families might be going through. He also realised how lucky they were to have found this place and to have had Michael with him. It was lucky they had been able to get by without having shared it with anyone living for more than a few hours.

"Before we left, Luke found out about a safe place a few hours North of here. They've apparently stopped the infection spreading through the people there." Ashton added as Calum prepared to disinfect his wound. "They're also working on how to heal those already affected."

"Really?" Michael gasped. Calum stared at Luke, sceptical, it sounded too good to be true.

"Well it's just a rumour." Luke frowned, not meeting anyone's eyes but Ashton's, "But Ash and I thought it was worth the trip. We probably would've been dead within a couple of weeks if we'd hung around back where we were."

Calum and Michael exchanged glances, so perhaps there was still a small hope that their families were still alive. Both of their families lived in towns near the other end of the railway line. The infection might not have spread as quickly, though as Luke had suggested anyone still alive would've only made it a few weeks without getting out of there.

"If you live here this is probably all you need though." Luke sighed, gesturing around them. "I'm surprised no one's raided here yet."

Calum and Michael exchanged solemn glances knowing the truth of what had happened here. It was clear to them why no one else had.

"Most of this town was gone the first day it started." Michael frowned, "Neither of us is from here. We just happened to be on a train that got stuck. A whole horde of them came out of nowhere."

Ashton and Luke looked at them with horrified expressions.

"We heard about those on the news before the power went, they said lots of people were killed or bitten on the trains that night. They were one of the key places the virus started spreading. They didn't think anyone had survived." Luke explained. "But somehow you both did."

Calum was speechless. Michael really had been the only reason he'd made it off that train. Calum could only sit and listen as Michael recounted the rest of the story to them. Though all he could think about was how lucky they were and just how thankful he was that Michael had been on the train that night.

After Luke and Ashton decided to stay the night, Calum and Michael led them back to their safe spot. The two of them worked to make room for the travellers, totally reconfiguring the store for them. With the room set up it gave them a chance to talk.

Luke and Ashton were both university students from a town that Michael seemed to recognise because his eyes lit up asking them if they knew people the he did. Calum had felt a little out of place at that. He had to admit the two of them seemed friendly enough, part of him was even a little disappointed that they'd probably only be here for a night.

"What's it like out there?" Michael had questioned them. Calum hadn't been able to help the glare that he'd shot him. It felt rude to ask that so soon after everything they'd probably been through.

Luke and Ashton seemed to shoot each other wary glances, as they had before but Ashton finally nodded.

"Let's be honest it's a mess out there." Ashton frowned, his eyes downcast, "Pretty much everything's been destroyed. Every other human we've come across since the virus started spreading has been awful to us. Bitten or not..."

"It's every man for themselves out there." Luke added frowning. "Everyone's so desperate to survive that a lot of people have become selfish. Stealing from one another, setting traps so others get attacked by them."

Calum couldn't help but stare. Humanity had certainly fallen these past few months. It wasn't as if stealing or setting traps weren't things people had done before any of this. Yet if it was as bad out there as Luke and Ashton were saying he was growing more and more frightened as to what lied beneath these walls. Perhaps infected zombies were the least of the problems out in the 'real' world.

"Every human we've met has been infected in some way or another." Michael nodded. "Cal and I were starting to think we we're the only ones left."

Calum nodded slowly in agreement, it had only been a few hours ago that they had been talking about it.

"To be honest out there, sometimes it feels like it. Some of the humans are more like monsters than the real things." Luke spoke solemnly. "I'm honestly just really glad that you guys were around to help us."

Michael and Calum couldn't help but exchange stunned glances.

Were things truly that bad out there? Would there ever be a real way out of this? One could only hope.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> This chapter hasn't been edited as much as the others so I apologise for any mistakes. ^^;


	5. Part 5

As it turned out, Ashton and Luke decided to stay at the Shopping Complex while Ashton's leg recovered. With its four occupants, the bedding store quickly became a hive of activity. Board games had become a daily event, and four people made life a lot more interesting. Also, Luke had become quite adept at coming down to the supermarket with them to get supplies. He seemed to even be able to walk through it without plugging his nose.

There was more smiles and more laughter. It was easy to forget that they were in the middle of an apocalyptic world. As much as he liked Michael, Calum was glad to have some other people to talk to as well. He truly hoped that they would stay more than a few weeks.

Yet with each passing day Ashton's leg healed until soon he was able to walk comfortably around the complex. Calum and Michael soon realised that the two males would be moving on soon and that things around here would change once more. Calum wasn't sure if he could go back to the way things were before.

Sure enough, one night after they'd had dinner, Luke and Ashton explained that they would be moving on soon. However, they also wanted to know whether Calum and Michael wanted to go with them. They hadn't given them a straight answer yet, but it wasn't long before Michael dragged Calum into another shop to talk about it.

"You know maybe we should go with them, Cal." Michael frowned, "I mean, if they're heading to safety perhaps this is our chance too."

Calum sighed not meeting Michael's eyes. He wanted to believe Michael. Yet he was petrified of going outside the walls of the shopping centre. If things had been bad that first morning, things must be dreadful out there now. Luke and Ashton had confirmed it as much. The infected weren't the only thing they needed to worry about; other humans and the elements themselves would be factors in their survival.

Though Calum silently knew that the food would eventually run out, so would the candles. Monopoly and all the other board games they had lined up to play would soon grow tiresome. They basically had already. This could be their first and last chance. 

What did he really want? 

Both paths suddenly seemed uncertain.

"We're barely living here Cal." Michael continued when Calum didn't answer. "Sure, we've still got plenty of food and we seem fairly safe here but maybe we need to seriously think about this."

He was seriously thinking about it though, and he still wasn't sure that it was the best idea.

"I know but it's a long journey. There's a large chance we'll never even make it there. There must be hundreds of zombies roaming around out there." Calum frowned, "It could be a death wish or worse a zombie wishes. If one of us became infected I don't know what I'd do with myself."

Michael sighed, he didn't speak for a moment. His eyes simply trailing over his friends’ solemn form. He was petrified, but he believed that this was the best thing to do. Ashton and Luke were both from the outside, they'd made it all the way here, so they clearly knew what they were doing. 

 "Calum you worry too much." Michael frowned, "The exact same thing could still happen here. What would you do if a whole hoard suddenly came bursting through? Within minutes we could be just as infected as we could out there."

Calum stared at Michael realising what he was trying to say. There was an illusion they'd both built that it was safe here. When really at any moment a whole horde of zombies could find them, and they could be dead or worse yet become infected. 

Any other human could come along and ruin everything as well. If anyone else discovered the shopping complex like Ashton and Luke had they might try to challenge them for it or steal their resources or worse. They had been lucky that Ashton and Luke were the first non-infected people to come here after them. Yet things could change so easily.

"Do you really want to sit here playing monopoly until we run out of food?" Michael questioned, his green eyes piercing straight at him, "Is that really the better option?"

Calum frowned at that, he knew Michael was just trying to hit all his weak spots. He'd only been complaining the other day of being tired of Monopoly and just wanting to go and play soccer. Yet he knew they couldn't, a soccer ball would draw zombies the same way a game of Jenga would. They hadn't really talked about the future, but it was blindingly clear that one day they eventually would need to.

"Look, I won't leave you here on your own, Cal. But I really think we should go with them." Michael continued.

He had a point. Luke and Ashton seemed like nice guys, and he believed that they knew what they were doing by trying to seek out a safe spot away from the infection. Yet there was a slight fear in Calum's stomach, the fear of the unknown, of everything that could go wrong of everything they had to lose. Yet as he sucked in a deep breath, he thought of everything they had to gain. A shot, a chance, a life.

He thought of how great it would be to go back to normality even if he knew things probably would never be the same again. Perhaps this was a chance for proper food, technology and electricity. All things that had been taken away that night. He looked into Michael's pleading green eyes. Knowing that he was the one thing holding him back. Calum knew if he wasn't here Michael would've taken off with them in a heartbeat.

Guilt built in his stomach. He knew it was now his choice, but what would the wrong thing do to them? In a month or maybe even a weeks’ time would he come to regret his decision? 

Michael was still waiting, he didn't push any further. Though Calum could tell that he would soon want an answer.

"Okay. We'll go with them." Calum nodded, still uncertain. The small grin on Michael's face wasn't quite enough but for now it would have to be.

 


	6. Part 6

After stocking up on food and other supplies, it was early one morning when the boys set out to leave the shopping centre. Calum's heart fluttered with nerves, this was the first time he'd left the shopping complex before this all begun. He stopped right on the threshold his breath catching. There was absolutely no way he could do this.

Ashton and Luke shot each other confused glances. But Michael leaped into action, he took Calum's shoulders staring him right in the eyes.

"Don't back out on me now, Cal." Michael spoke, "We're doing this, and we're doing it together. I'm not leaving you here."

Calum was terrified even though he felt Michael's hands on his shoulder he couldn't calm the panic in his brain. He could only picture those blood-stained houses and cars. As well as hordes and hordes of zombies. He could feel Ashton and Luke's gaze on him but that only made him feel worse. Going outside was such a simple act, why couldn't he handle it like the others?

He felt a strong pressure in his hand, Calum blinked slightly startled. 

He turned and looked beside him at Michael who grinned, "We're going to be fine Cal."

 Calum simply nodded. 

Michael squeezed Calum's hand, "You remember what I said? We do this together Cal."

Calum tried at a small grin at his fellow survivor. He knew Michael would stick with him no matter what. Him asking for his permission to leave was proof enough. He had to trust him that they would keep one another alive.

Taking deep breaths, they followed Ashton and Luke out onto the street. Calum and Michael used their other hands to shield their eyes from the sun. It had been so long since they'd been outside, and the complex only had a small amount of natural lighting.

"Phew, none in sight." Ashton smiled, "It's such a nice day today, good for traveling."

Michael and Luke nodded in agreement. Calum couldn't help but turn back to the shopping complex that had been his and Michael's home. It felt weird not knowing if he'd ever come back here again. Perhaps it was a good thing he supposed. He'd seen way too many things here.

*********

The four of them walked for a few hours, taking frequent rest stops as they were needed. They only encountered a few zombies in their path, they seemed to look more disfigured with each one they saw. Battles were fierce and sometimes it took all four of them to fight to ensure they made it out alive.

No one enjoyed what they did, but it quickly became clear that they needed to fight to protect each other, which meant taking down the infected zombies. Calum was fearful, but he knew now they were outside in the real world he couldn't run from this anymore if they wanted to stay alive. He spent the time pretending as though none of them were human once, it made killing them much easier.

"This is so much easier with the four of us." Luke commented later that afternoon. "Ash and I have had way too many near bite experiences to talk about."

The comment seemed unusual to Calum, as he and Michael had managed quite well. They'd both been so cautious, that there had only be dangerous times on that first night in the train and the day following afterwards. They'd seen zombies before, sure but never like what was out here.

As night began to grow closer they found an abandoned petrol station, there was only one zombie there with long thick hair and Luke had quickly taken care of it with an arrow. Calum was impressed, Luke was lightning fast. He half smiled at the others.

"All clear."

They turned the petrol stations shop into a makeshift bedroom. Much like the shopping complex barely anyone had made a dent in the food supply here, and with excitement the four of them turned it into a feast. All of them were unsure when their next decent meal would be or when their supplies from the shopping complex might run out.

With their stomachs full of food, they sat around with their sleeping bags in a corner of the room. They arranged who would be keeping watch and kept stock of how much food they now had. They had enough between their backpacks alone to allow them to survive for at least a couple of weeks.

That was when they heard the noise. Their four heads whipped up as they exchanged confused noises. It sounded like the scratching of tiles, then a large crash. Hesitantly Luke climbed up onto his knees, his eyes searching around them. His hands reached for the flashlight.

"Keep down." Ashton hissed.

Luke sat down quickly, his hand moving away from the flashlight. There was another crash then there was a small yelping noise. Then a bark that sounded like a dog. Calum blinked confused by the noise. A dog? Out here? There couldn't be?

"Dog?" Luke questioned with a raised eyebrow, there were nods and mutters of agreement.

"I'm going to look." Calum spoke, standing up from his sleeping bag.

"Cal it could be infected..." Michael started, Calum shot him a glance, "Look fine I'm coming with you."

The two rose from their sleeping bags, Michael grabbed for his bat. Luke and Ashton carefully following behind them, both grabbing their bows and arrows. Calum opted for not using a weapon. Hesitantly the group moved around the small aisles, walking towards the noise.

The first evidence was the mess on the floor, dozens of sauce bottles were scattered broken all over the floor. They hadn't been like that earlier. A small black and white border collie puppy was sat in the middle of it all pawing up towards a higher shelf filled with dog food. He was a little bit dirty and evidence of the sauce that had spilled was all over his fur.

"What are you doing here little guy?" Calum spoke, "I bet your pretty hungry huh?"

The little dog seemed to turn up to the group, letting out what seemed to be an excited yelp. He seemed healthy, which Calum assumed this meant he hadn't been here long or someone else was here looking after him. In the corner of the room where someone had left two empty bowls which one could only assume once had water and food in them. He was surprised no one had noticed it earlier when they'd been raiding the shelves.

"He hasn't been bitten, has he?" Michael frowned, kneeling beside Calum as he inspected the small dog looking for some sort of owner tags or bites.

Calum shook his head, as he stroked at the small dogs' soft fur. It was quite relaxing, one could almost forget. 

"I think he's all good." 

Michael grinned kneeling down to give the small dog a pat on his fur as well.

"Someone must've left him here." Luke frowned, picking up a small piece of paper from near the water bowls. He showed it to the group, it said if they didn't come back within a day to refill the water and the dog food for the small dog. A date was written from about three days ago. Someone else had been here. Judging by the date they had befallen disaster. Calum couldn't help but wonder if the infected zombie that they'd found earlier was its owner. 

There was no way after reading that they could just leave him there.

"He needs a name." Calum spoke. Michael and Luke nodded in agreement.

"Wait, if we're naming him are you suggesting we keep him?" Ashton raised an eyebrow, before shaking his head, "No way, we can't take care of a dog as well."

"What about Ketchup?" Luke questioned, ignoring Ashton as he gestured to the mess of sauce bottles around him.

"What sort of name is Ketchup!?" Michael protested.

"It's cute, we found him covered in it. It works? Right?" Luke grinned back.

Calum couldn't help but nod. It was dumb name, but it was kind of original and cute. Michael glared at Calum but let out a long sigh and nodded.

"Did you guys even hear me?" Ashton yelled over the top of them. "As much as I'd like to as well. We can't keep a dog."

"We'll get him cleaned up and he should be all good." Luke smiled, "Just bring a bit of food with us and he'll be okay. It'll be fine Ash."

Ashton was still a little sceptical, the three others shot him pleading eyes. Ashton let out a long sigh, "Well I guess he is pretty cute."

"That's the spirit."

The boys spent the next hour fussing over Ketchup, using some bottles of water to clean all the sauce from his fur. They refilled his food and the small dog devoured hungrily. It was nice to have a distraction for a moment. Though still Calum couldn't help but worry what had happened to Ketchup's real owner.

The group moved back to their sleeping bags, the tiny dog climbing across the sheets between each of the boys demanding pats and attention. Ketchup finally fell asleep on Luke's lap as he softly patted the small dog. A small smile rested on his face as he looked upon the sleeping dog.

"What are we going to do if someone gets bitten? If one of us is infected?" Ashton frowns, suddenly, "We haven't really talked about it. I know what Luke wants but what about the rest of you?"

"Well I for one do not want to walk around as one of those zombies." Luke spoke quickly. "Please don't let me become one."

"Me either, I'd be better off dead." Michael agreed. "You too Cal?"

Calum stared at the three of them they were talking about this so flippantly. His fears from earlier came to light. he'd grown so fond of Michael and the other two as well. If the time came he wondered could he really kill any of them?

It would be easy to pretend that they hadn't been human. If he himself were bitten, did he want them to kill him or to let him become a zombie. He suddenly felt sick in the stomach, suddenly those Pringles and lolly snakes didn't seem like such a good idea.

Michael bit his lip, "I probably shouldn't have said anything."

"No, it was my fault for bringing it up." Ashton frowned, biting on his lip. "You don't have to think about it Calum."

Luke quickly changed the topic after that by bringing out the cards he had brought with him from the shopping complex, a set of Uno cards. They began a game quickly, Michael ensuring that Calum was well involved and didn't have time to think about anyone in the room becoming infected and later a zombie.

Despite all this when the time came, Calum couldn't sleep. The talk about what they'd do if someone got bitten terrified him more than anything in the world. Strangely enough it was the fact that being bitten terrified him it was watching that happen to any of them especially Michael. His mind ran over the possibilities and he saw dozes of awful infinite futures played out before his eyes every version ended in tragedy. He could feel the tears welling up in his eyelids, and he barely held them back with a sniffle.

Michael was the one who was on watch. He let out a long sigh when he noticed Calum was still awake. He knew what Ashton had brought up and knew it must be bothering him. He'd seen many nights when he'd said wrong things and found the boy feigning sleep with tears in his eyes. With a sigh, Michael climbed over both Luke and Ashton, he nudged Calum and forced him to shuffle over. Michael pulled him into a hug. Suddenly the tears were flowing, and Calum cried softly in the other boys' arms as not to wake the others up.

"We're in this together Cal." Michael spoke softly, "Nothing bad is going to happen. But if something does know that no matter what happens you won't be alone."

Calum was terrified for all of them yet felt as though there might not be anything he could do if the time came. At least snuggling up to Michael made him feel safe even if it was only for one night. 

 


	7. Chapter 7

Days passed, kilometres were walked, zombies were killed.

That was the way the groups next few days went. As night fell, they would take refuge in abandoned petrol stations along their path. Most petrol stations were secure and useful for sleeping in. Best of all the shelves were stocked full of food. The boys devoured hungrily knowing that any meal could be their last. Rainy or foggy days meant the group usually stayed somewhere an extra night until they passed. No one wanted to risk someone being hurt or bitten because of the poor conditions.

Ketchup had stayed with them, becoming the centre of attention after a hard day walk or during a rest stop. They took turns carrying him, whether it be in someone's backpack or arms. Occasionally during the day when it seemed safe they'd let him roam freely and he'd race quickly around their heels. The small dog would go racing away in delight darting through shelves and trees where he could. Calum sometimes wished they had a small ball to throw to him, but Ketchup seemed just glad to have the freedom if only for a little while.

It was one particularly early morning when Luke announced to the group that they were near one of the safe places he had marked out. He was quite vague about anything else after that. Calum wasn't too sure why Luke was so interested in it, but he seemed rather determined to find it, so he decided not to question it. With excitement and nervousness, the four of them and Ketchup set off for it.

They walked for about an hour, the path was much more treacherous. The group trekked through a section of forest that was covered with low hanging branches and fallen trees possibly from a recent storm. The ground was hilly and slippery with dozens of tiny uneven stones littering the path. It wasn't the easiest, but it was the shortest route and least zombie infected way to the safe place according to Luke.

Eventually they came to a large storied building, the outside windows were filthy, and the grass and plants surrounding it were overgrown. A huge sign marked it as a hospital. The car park was empty giving them little hope that someone was still here and alive. Calum couldn't help but walk closer to Michael, frightened of what they might find here.

The group walked around the hospital block a few times, until Michael and Luke came to the agreement that they clearly needed to bust a few locks to get in there. When they finally managed it, they found themselves in a long corridor. There were about half a dozen doors down both sides for the rooms. A few lights were on, even if some were flickering. Mechanical beeping and whirring could be heard from down the corridor. There was hope amongst the boys for a moment realising that this must be one of the few places that still had power. Power also possibly meant people and hopefully more supplies.

Ketchup let out a long whine in Luke's arms as they walked the corridors. He patted the small dog gently whispering to him that it was alright. The small dog continued to whine though despite Luke's efforts.

Calum was concerned. Everything was seemingly silent; every room was empty as if it lay forgotten. Some had collections of sleeping bags, or empty packets of food lie on the ground as if people had set up camp here. Calum chewed on his lip wondering where everyone was. Maybe they'd left or if something terrible had happened here too.

"No one's here." Michael frowned, "Odd. You said this was a safe place, right Luke? Where are all the people then?"

"Probably been wiped out by the zombies like everywhere else." Ashton frowned, answering before Luke could. "I'm done, guys, Let's just keep heading North."

"I'm with Ash. I don't think we'll find much else here. I think we should leave now." Calum frowned.

"No." Luke said stopping and glaring at the other three, "This is way too important. Someone might have been working on a cure here and they've already escaped. Imagine if we were the ones who found it."

There was silence amongst the three of them as they considered his words.

"Judging by this place I'm with these two, let's go Luke." Michael frowned, already turning in his heel towards the doorway. Calum and Ashton nodded turning after him.

"I know but imagine if we found something?" Luke spoke quietly as he called after them.

Michael and Calum turned and raised eyebrows at the blonde. Ashton's bottom lip quivered with uncertainty.

"What if there was a cure? A radio even? Some supersonic zombie rays?" Luke hesitated as he looked amongst the three of them, he cracked a small smile, "Okay maybe not the last one but there might be something useful?"

Ashton's eyes lit up. Calum and Michael exchanged glances, and Michael mouthed to Calum asking if he thought they should stay. He didn't look sure either. It wasn't like they could leave Ashton and Luke here if they wanted to stay. Now there was four of them it seemed like a situation where it should be one in all in.

Calum bit his lip. Maybe just maybe Luke had a point. Though still they could search for hours here and find nothing. Perhaps the people who had been staying here might have even left already. He looked back to Michael who was still looking uncertain.

"This might be our best chance," Ashton spoke his eyes on the two of them, "I think we should trust Luke on this one."

Ketchup let out a sharp bark. It was almost as if he was agreeing with Ashton.

Calum and Michael exchanged glances once more, both nodded slowly. They couldn't end up any worse off, could they?

Luke grinned, seemingly pleased that everyone was going along with his search. With fleeting glances, the group marched into the building.

Calum's heart thumped nervously in his chest as they walked further into the clutches of the building. Surrounding them was a labyrinth of sterile white hospital corridors. They would poke their head in each room, more sleeping bags, more mess. The sleeping bags suggested someone must have survived here after that night they'd been on the train. Where was everyone then?

"Hey Luke, how did you get all this information, anyway? I mean what makes you so sure there might be a cure here anyway?" Michael frowned as the group walked along yet another abandoned corridor.

Luke was silent for a moment before he shrugged, "Well before all this happened I managed to stumble across some information a few days before this all happened, it was a news bulletin of sorts. Some official sounding government department. My teacher had one-"

"Wait someone knew this was going to happen?" Calum gasped, realising what Luke was about to say.

Luke nodded, "I think so, the notes on it were far too detailed." He sighed, "We went back to check, but found my teacher infected...you can imagine how quickly Ash and I raced out of there."

Calum shivered, he had no idea how Luke could talk so calmly about this. If he'd found his soccer coach zombified he probably wouldn't have slept for a week.

As the group walked he wondered just how many people he knew hadn't been so lucky. He could only hope once more that his mum, sister and best friends were okay and had made it out. His chest tightened as the mental image of that night on the train came to mind.

Shaking his head his focus turned to Luke who was now pointing towards a door at the end of the corridor, it had some numbers written that Calum couldn't understand. Luke passed Ketchup over to Michael who was walking beside him.

Luke lead the group down the corridor, slowing only as he came to the door. He traced his hands over the numbers, his eyes wide with curiosity. He sucked in a deep breath. Cautiously he opened the thick metal door. There was silence for a moment as the boys cautiously peeked inside.

Their gazes were met with dozens of soulless hungry eyes met them. Their voices began to rumble as more and more turned to them setting off an eerie chain reaction. The four stood there in shock for a moment. They began to amble forwards, reaching and grabbing towards them. Luke's eyes widened as he moved to shut the door. Hands and demented body parts flailed about preventing him from closing it.

"I can't close it!" Luke screamed, pulling back on the door with all his strength as he dodged around the hungry arms that tried to grab for him. Ashton, Michael and Calum were soon at his side attempting to pull the door closed, but the zombies seemed to be winning the door slowly opening more and more. Calum's heart raced in his chest, sure that they would soon burst out.

"In three seconds, we're all going to let go of the door and then we run." Luke called to back to everyone. There were small mutters and nods.

"3..."

"2..."

"1..."

The four of them released the door, and it sprung wide open. Ashton and Luke raced past them. Calum caught his breath for a moment. Staring at the hungry hollow eyes that stared right at him. He examined them for a moment, the way their jaws sat slightly slack in their mouth. The demented green tinge to their skin. He was seemingly paralysed in their stare.

He felt a sharp tug on his arm, dragging him backwards. He looked to find Michael, his eyes filled with fire pulling him out of his daze. A sickly green arm reached out at them. A flash of silver, Michael's bat came flying down onto its surface. He needed to move...no he needed to run.

Within seconds, zombies came bursting out of the doorway like the opening of a store on a sale day. Focused on moving the four of them ran, hearts racing, feet moving. A crazy entourage of zombies racing to catch them.

"Hurry up guys." Luke called, from further down the corridor, "This room's empty."

The two picked up the pace, their sneakers squeaking violently in the tiled floor as they ran. The four of them barely closed the door behind them as the horde caught up with them. The sound heavy breathing filled the room. Ketchup let out another small whine. Michael hissed at him to be quiet. The dog was startled quickly falling into silence. Calum slid down onto the ground as they held the door shut, the loud sound of the zombies bashing against the doorway continued before slowly fading.

"All safe, see." Michael grinned at Calum, as he slid down beside him. His bat clinking as it hit the tiled ground, "I think that must've been the last of them."

Calum nodded weakly, as he looked over at Michael who was pale and sweating, a hint of blood marking the side of his face. He collapsed onto him, resting his head against the other's shoulder. When the sound had faded, Luke and Ashton slid down joining them.

"Well I think we know what happened to all those people now." Luke muttered darkly, his eyes downcast. A sharp line of blood raced down his leg.

"Unbelievable I thought we'd finally found other humans." Michael frowned. Calum nodded solemnly.

Luke let out a long sigh, "Me too guys. I'm sorry for dragging you here. I should've known."

"You didn't know Luke." Calum nodded to him, doing his best to put on a smile even if it was rather weak.

Luke shot him back a grateful smile, but it was clear from his slightly down cast look that he still felt a little guilty.

"Now what?" Ashton frowned, snapping everyone's attention in his direction, "We obviously can't get back out that way."

"That over there looks like another door, right? So, if we go that way we should be able to leave that horde in the other corridor and escape out another door. It's a hospital, there would be more than one exit." Luke explained, pointing towards the doorway.

"Of course." Ashton nodded, "You're a genius Luke."

Luke flushed pink with slight embarrassment, but he narrowed his eyebrows in determination and stood up already heading towards the door.

Michael tucked the now shivering Ketchup into his backpack. The small dog let out a whine, "I think this is the safest place for you little buddy. Things might get a bit rough."

There was nods of agreement as the four boys decided to leave, they headed out towards the doorway that Luke had found. The corridor was empty, hopefully a good sign.

Maybe Calum was imagining it, but he could swear he heard the slight rumbling of groans as they hit the next corridor. Though no one else seemed to notice or react to the noise.

Calum's' head whipped up, searching around them. There was suddenly a strong grubby pressure behind Calum's leg. Suddenly Calum was falling. He was being dragged backwards. He let out a sharp yelp as he saw Michael's alarmed eyes fall to him.

He turned his head to find there were about six of them, his breath caught, and his vision blurred as he realised how much trouble he was really in. He tugged away, his eyes meeting with the soulless eyes of his attacker. Michael was pulling out his own bat and lining it up. His eyebrows narrowed in concentration. Ashton and Luke hadn't seemed to notice and were still walking along the corridor as if nothing had happened.

Calum thrashed, trying to escape the creatures grasp. He felt the puff of stale breath on his right leg and shivered. His throat caught. He was unable to scream. It was just like that night on the train, after everything they'd been through why did this happen again?

What was Michael doing? How could he just stand there?

Suddenly there was a flash of silver, then a loud clinking noise. Then a groan. Calum closed his eyes as he heard the awful squelch. There was more and more one after another. Calum could only lie there hoping the others were okay.

Then there was silence.

"Cal, it's okay you can open your eyes now." A calm voice spoke.

Slowly Calum opened his eyes. Michaels face was in front of his. His face was covered in dirt and blood. His blonde hair a tousled mess. Though relief was in his eyes. There was a sharp bark from his backpack.

"Let's go." Michael offered Calum his hand, though Calum saw the hint of something else behind him emerging from one of the doorways. Luke and Ashton had stopped now and were staring back at them alarmed.

"Michael look-!" Calum yelled.

Michael blinked turning as the infected greenish tinged figure grabbed him by the arm and dragged him backwards. Michael hit his bat backwards, narrowly missing. Luke and Ashton had noticed now and already had their weapons raised eyes wide in fear. Calum was so frozen with fear he couldn't move for his own weapon. Although it was lying right beside him on the ground.

The zombies collapsing mouth was wide open its demented arms grabbing Michael's wrist pulling it towards its mouth. Michael let out a small whimper as he tried to tug away. His head dropped almost in defeat.

Calum's throat caught as he struggled to stand, desperately searching for his shovel. Not here. Not now.

The zombie groaned suddenly falling forwards, Michael jerked away. Blood slid down the front of its face. Calum winced, as Luke dashed out from behind it. His hand still shaking on his crossbow. He leaped forwards and grabbed Michael by the arm and pulled him away as the zombie fell to the ground with a final thunk.

Pulling himself together Calum stood up quickly his head spinning from the movement. His hands secured on the cool surface of his shovel as he stood. He sucked in a deep breath; one, two, three times striking it into the surface of the inhuman creature.

_Not human._ He kept chanting over and over in his head like an echo until his arms grew tired and he pulled away dizzily drunk from the movement. He came back to reality where Luke and Michael were huddled to one side. Luke had the still trembling Michael held close to his chest, his eyes frantically searching him for bites.

"Did it bite you?" Luke asked quickly with narrowed eyebrows.

Calum inched closer feeling guilty, if only he'd said something. He'd never forgive himself if Michael had been bitten trying to save him. Ashton hovered behind him.

"No, I think it just missed me." Michael shook his head bewildered. He gestured to his arm where there was a red mark and the hint of small teeth marks. Not enough to get infected but it was close. A moment later...

No, Calum couldn't bear to think.

There wasn't time to anyway. There was more coming from both directions. It seemed they had walked right into a nest of them. This might have once been a safe place, but it certainly wasn't one anymore. One bite had probably been all it had taken to descend this entire place into chaos. Calum though back to his original thought in the shopping complex of how quickly everything could change. This place seemed to be proof of that.

"Plan?" Someone asked.

Four eyes darted wildly around them looking for an escape. That other corridor? Though they'd already seen one come from there. What would happen if there was more?

"Run!" Luke called already racing towards that corridor.

The group took off at full speed. There was a small whine from Michael's backpack. As they thunked their way along the tiling. They came to another room. Zombies chased at their ankles now, their speed almost as quick as their own. One slip and they'd all be in peril.

He saw the zombie move forwards out of the corner of his eye. Reaching and grabbing almost reaching both Michael and Ashton. If he moved quickly with his shovel perhaps he could take them both out. If he failed the results could be catastrophic.

He tightened the grip on his shovel slowing and moving forwards swinging his shovel forwards taking two out in one go.

Calum grinned at Michael, who shot him a small nod. It was clear in his pale expression that he was still slightly spooked since their last encounter. Ashton muttered a small thank you.

The group slowed as they came to an open doorway that lead into another room. This entire place was like a maze. They'd never make it out in time. Not like this.

"Over there." Ashton spoke pointing towards the doorway with a green exit sign clearly lit up directly above it.

Hopefully it wouldn't be locked. If only they could make it over there. Calum followed behind Ashton. Hopefully the zombies wouldn't make it out there. Calum's heart was thumping in his ears, they were so close. Ashton pulled over the door, struggling under its heavy weight. Calum helped him to pull it open as they made the threshold. Calum turned to look behind them. Noticing he couldn't hear any other footsteps. Where were Michael and Luke? They'd been right behind them, right?

He spotted them still back on the other side of the room. Michael's bat was moving through the group fiercely. Luke was by his side shooting arrows in all directions. Calum was about to race back inside.

"It's too heavy." Ashton grunted, releasing the door. "And their coming."

Before Calum could dart inside the door slammed closed between them. Ashton let out a sharp gasp, shaking the lock frantically in attempt to open the door back up. Calum and Ashton exchanged nervous glances.

Michael, Luke and Ketchup were still behind the door. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup, cliff-hanger! 0-0
> 
> Thanks for reading! ^^


	8. Part 8

"We messed up, didn't we?" Ashton spoke solemnly his eyes downcast.

Calum silently nodded. His mind was a mess of emotions as he took the opportunity to catch his breath. His entire body felt numb and he was unable to move any further. The two of them exchanged weak glances at each other. Both their eyes were filled with regret and fear as to what was to come. They knew that they shouldn't have left them like that. If only Ashton had been able to keep the door open a bit longer. If only one of them had enough time to go back in.

Hindsight made a whole world of difference, fear had made it difficult to know what to do in the moment. How were they to know that the door would slam and lock? That Michael and Luke weren't directly behind them like they were supposed to be. Once Ashton had lost grip of the door they hadn't had a lot of choice.

Ashton was the first to make a move, his hand gripping on the cool metal of the door handle. He moved it left and right up and down, but it wouldn't budge. It was locked.

Ashton let out a frustrated groan as he bashed on the door angrily as if doing so would help their situation. It was useless though, there was no one to open the door. Unless Michael and Luke could make it to that door there was no escape. Calum could probably even bet that the two of them were already dead. There had been far too many for them to take on their own. The last he'd seen of them they were getting ever closer to getting bitten.

Calum's mood decreased even further as Ashton continued to bash on and attempt to pry open the doorway with his bare hands. It took only a few moments of this for it to finally sink in that the worst-case scenario had finally happened. They'd both lost their best friend to those creatures.

Calum could only think back to the day when they'd left the shopping complex and Michael had promised that he would never leave him. That they were in this together. He knew Michael had said it more to help Calum deal with leaving. Yet really in the end Calum had been the one to leave Michael.

His breath caught as the thought lingered in his mind. What had he done? Betrayed the person that had saved his life. He could feel his eyes stinging, he rubbed at them. Trying to will the tears away. Yet he could already feel the trickle running down his left cheek and feel the wracked sobs building in his throat.

Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!

Alarmed, Calum turned his head up to the noise. There was Ashton bashing on the doorway his face and fist completely red. His eyes were red and swollen yet no tears were apparent. He pulled back his wrist before plunging it straight towards the door. Calum's eyes winded, if Ashton kept doing this he would only end up injuring himself.

He sucked in a deep breath, raising his hand forwards and placing it into Ashton's path. He felt the strong crushing weight as his hand was pushed backwards by Ashton's fist. He pushed against it with his own force, their strength easily matched. Ashton glared at him.

"Ash, please don't do this to yourself." Calum spoke quietly as he stared into Ashton's narrowed eyebrows. He wasn't sure who he was really talking to more Ashton or himself.

He didn't reply, he just continued to glare at Calum as if he had two heads. Calum remained dead silent himself barely managing enough force to stop Ashton's hand from smashing into the door once more.

A sense of awkwardness rose in Calum's stomach. He was suddenly unsure what else he could say. Sure, he'd been with Ashton and Luke for a few weeks now and he'd dare say he considered them friends but realistically he barely knew them. He barely knew Ashton. If Calum were to say the wrong thing would Ashton do something dumb and get them both killed. Was he only making things worse by trying to stop him?

He realised though that by focusing on Ashton he was ignoring his own feelings about Michael. These past few months Michael had been his only friend. For a while there they'd even felt like they were the last two people on Earth. If the whole world had gone to hell, then he certainly wasn't the worst person to spend it with. His mind went back to those dumb days in that bedding store playing board games together. That night they'd first met on the train. He'd been almost petrified of the other guy that night. He'd learnt a lot from him as well. His hand rested on the shovel. He could've never expected that night who he'd grown to become.

He couldn't stand the guilt of knowing what had happened to him. Someone who for a while there had been his only friend in this broken mess of a world.

What must this be doing to Ashton though? He was pretty sure Ashton had known Luke much longer than he'd known Michael. He remembered them mentioning something about a battle of the bands in High School where they'd been in two rival groups. Ashton had been in the year above and the two had become fast friends. What could he possibly say to Ashton to make him feel better about this? He couldn't say that Luke would be okay because he was certain that he wouldn't.

"You don't understand, Cal." Ashton spoke through swollen eyes, he sucked in a breath seeming to hesitate for a moment, "I promised his mum that I would take care of him." He slowly dropped his hand, and Calum did the same. He turned and leant against the metallic door, "That first week, we made it out of there. My family was long gone but Luke and his mum managed to escape. She was originally with the two of us when we first left our town. The first few days were difficult, and we lost her. She became infected during those days trying to protect us from a swarm we came across in a junkyard we'd rested in one night. Don't you see I failed them both, Cal."

Calum was rendered speechless for a moment. He reached over and took Ashton's hands in his as the tears began to fall down his allies' face. He closed his eyes, having understood every word. It had been such a large promise to make, one that was not so easy to keep.

"You did your best Ash." Calum spoke quietly, it was all he could think to say right now. Calum knew they were both feeling the same way, and he knew perhaps that was all he wanted someone to say to him.

Michael had been everything to him for those few months. He couldn't stand the thought of seeing him that way, slack jaw, glassy soulless eyes. Long gone.

Heck the thought of seeing Luke that way scared him just as much.

"Thanks Cal. You did your best too." Ashton spoke, a sad yet comforting smile on his face, "We both did."

He let out a long sigh, as he carefully wiped his tears.

"Just a shame it wasn't enough."

It was then that something seemed to glimmer in Ashton's eyes for a moment. Calum's chest tightened unsure as to whether this was a good thing. Ashton reached for his backpack and began rummaging through it. Cans of tinned food and medical supplies leaped out from it. Ashton sucked in a deep breath as he began to pull something from it. Calum realised what he was doing, where this path would lead.

"I also promised Luke if he became infected what I would do. Michael too." Ashton spoke, as a silvery object appeared from his bag. "I found these a few days ago at the back of one of the supermarkets. I think they should do the job."

He placed the silver pistol like object in front of them both, before pulling out another and pushing it towards Calum. He pulled something else from his bag, a box of special solution.

"What are these?" Calum spoke quietly his eyes scanning over the weapon that had been placed in front of him. He was a little too nervous about it to touch it.

"To be honest no idea, experimental things I think. If not, I'll just use the old-fashioned method." He gestured to the crossbow at his feet.

As Ashton loaded the solution into each of the pistols. Calum realised that he wasn't ready for any of this. He didn't like having his friend's dead...or undead lives in his hands. What if there was a way to save them? Yet he knew what had probably happened behind those closed doors...

Even if they were able to make it back in there to try to save them it would be far too late.

He knew just as well as Ashton that this was exactly what they were supposed to do. This was what they'd promised that night at the petrol station. Ashton's hand was already back on the door. He pulled a bobby pin from his back pocket. He was going in there, and Calum realised there was nothing he could do or say to stop him.

"Ash wait." Calum called, his hand hovering over Ashton's to try to stop him.

Ashton looked up to Calum in surprised alarm, "We have to do it, Cal. We promised them."

"No... surely there's something...."

Ashton shook his head, a sad smile on his dirt covered face. "Look I know by now that you're not going to come back in with me and honestly I don't expect you to." He let out a long sigh, "But look if something happens and you're the only one who make it out of here then you know what you have to do, Cal."

He blinked realising the severity of Ashton's words and what exactly he expected him to do if he failed.

"I can't." Calum replied sharply.

"Then you better hope I make it out of there alive then." Ashton answered, as he finally twisted the bobby pin into the lock as it opened with a sharp click.

With those words, regret twisted in Calum's stomach. The damage that Ashton would find back there wasn't something anyone should face on their own. He would get himself killed before anything could happen. His grip tightened on his shovel.

"Wait, I'll come with you."

Ashton froze midway from picking the two pistols up from the ground where he'd left them. He stared at Calum as if he were an alien with two heads. He didn't smile or thank him, he simply nodded.

He passed Calum one of the pistols, quickly pointing out the trigger point. Calum sucked in a deep breath, he was really doing this after all.

The door opened, and Calum took a deep breath, stepping back into the room. It was dead silent. There was an awful scent in the room and the lights that had greeted them earlier were all switched off. Calum squinted, walking closer to Ashton who held his crossbow threateningly.

His heart thumped nervously, expecting to find a body. He knew there would never be anything that would prepare him for that.

Yet where was everyone?

There was a loud crash from the corridor. Alarmed Ashton and Calum raced forwards together out towards the noise. Sure enough, there was a large horde cowering around something on the side of the corridor. Calum's throat caught at the smell of rotting flesh. He wasn't ready for this, he wasn't ready for what he was about to see.

"Cal pull the trigger now. Aim it towards that horde." Ashton mumbled.

His finger slipping with nerves he pressed down on the trigger, it took it a moment to catch before a bright beaming green light went flying down the hallway. The creatures seemed to ignite one after another with an eerie green and yellow glow before slowly disintegrating into a pile of dust. He heard a second bang as Ashton pulled the trigger in the opposite direction. His throat caught wondering whether Luke, Michael and Ketchup had been among their casualties.

Yet he felt a tug on his shoulder as Ashton pointed towards something. He let out a sharp gasp as he followed his partners gaze to the dark shape on the side of the room.

The three of them were filthy, their clothes ripped and torn. They were covered in blood just clinging to one another with a pile of ashy creatures' bodies around them. Ketchups fur was a mess of blood and grime as he huddled close into Michael's chest. Visually Calum searched them for bites, but his eyes only met with smaller wounds. Luke's hand was trembling on his crossbow.

The two shapes eyes moved upwards, the crossbow shakily moving up with it. Luke blinked before dropping the object with a clatter.

"Cal? Ash?" He muttered in surprise.

A wave of relief went through Calum. They were okay. He wanted to race over and pull them into a massive hug and be done with all this mess they'd walked into.

"Wait." Ashton spoke his hand moving to Ashton's shoulder and keeping him there.

His eyes narrowed on Michael and Luke who were staring at them still as if they were ghosts.

"Have either of you or Ketchup been bitten?" Ashton questioned.

"No bites." Luke and Michael agreed, exchanging nervous glances at one another.

Calum blinked. Incredible, when he'd looked back there had looked like no chance at all. To have made it out of that with no bites. Well he had no more words for that.

"Thank goodness." Ashton gasped, leaving Calum's side and racing straight over to Luke with tears evidently back in his eyes. Luke frowned as Ashton fussed over him.

Michael and Calum met eyes for a moment. Calum suddenly felt nervous in Michael's gaze. What could he say to him after what he'd done? If it weren't for Ashton or they'd been a few minutes later, they could've both been gone.

Michael grinned between his grimy face. That was all it took for Calum to race straight over to him. Calum didn't care about the blood, he pulled his friend into a ginormous hug.

"Take it you missed me, huh?" Michael smirked.

"I thought I'd lost you." Calum said, "I thought you'd..." Calum couldn't bring himself to say his next words.

"Those creatures can't take me that easy." He spoke with a wink. "I meant what I said, I'm not leaving you."

"Anyway, where'd you two find those, anyway. They really saved us." Luke spoke glancing at Ashton, as he gestured to the silver pistol he still held in his hands.

"Found them a few days ago, didn't know if we'd need them so I kept them quiet. Guess they work a lot better than I thought if they can take down whole hordes."

"Maybe you weren't joking about the zombie ray after all?" Michael teased, nudging Luke.

Luke shook his head, a small smile playing in his lips, "I guess not."

"In any case Luke never scare me like that again." Ashton spoke, he turned to Michael, "Same goes for you as well."

Ketchup let out a small bark.

"Yes, and you too Ketchup." Ashton grinned. Luke grinned reaching over into Michael's lap where the small dog sat and gave him a small pat on the head. The small dog let out a comfortable yelp as he settled into Michael's arms.

The area around Michael's ankle was bruised and he was covered in scratches and abrasions from where the zombies had grabbed at him.

"In any case I think I'm going to need a new shirt." He chuckled gesturing to the large tear down the side of it.

"True though I was starting to think the ripped look was in this season." Luke agreed with a smile gesturing to his own ripped and bloodied shirt.

With that the four of them decided to cut through the remaining horde and locate the showers on the second floor. They were delighted to find the first bit of hot water they'd seen in months. Nobody argued about shower times as they took it in turns to keep watch. Ketchup sleeping soundly in another corner.

"If it weren't for the residents it'd be pretty good here." Michael commented as he left the shower his hair a wet mess. He'd changed clothes after finding a whole storage room of clothes in one of the linen cupboards.

Calum nodded. He'd changed clothes as well. He looked down at his clothes they weren't exactly flattering but they'd do until he could find something more comfortable to wear. It was nice to have been able to finally have a shower though.

"You scrub up pretty well, Ash." Michael teased as Ashton joined them in the makeshift room. Calum thought it was weird seeing everyone looking so clean as the entire group had been a grubby mess for days. He had to blink to recognise him for a moment.

Ashton grinned, "You two don't scrub up too bad yourselves either."

Luke emerged from behind him a few moments later. "I had no idea how much I missed warm showers." He grinned, "Do we really have to leave?"

"I think so, the solution is going to run out soon and there's too many of them for us to take on all the time." Michael sighed, "Shame we can't take the showers with us,"

There were four mumbles in agreement before the room descended into complete silence.

"So, in that case what now huh?" Ashton frowned. "We can't stay here."

Calum and Michael both nodded. They'd all been lucky today.

"Oh, I know!" Luke yelled suddenly. The other three raised sceptical eyebrows after this adventure. A moment later he pulled a small hand drawn map out of his backpack, "There's another shopping complex around, want to try it?"

"A shopping complex, huh? It'll be just like old times." Michael smirked, nudging Calum.

Calum nodded, "Yeah it will."

"Well I guess it's worth a shot." Ashton gestured to his clothes, "Old hospital clothes aren't exactly my favourite."

"That settles it then, let's get moving. I think we can make it there by dark." Luke nodded.

The three guys nodded, collecting up their gear and preparing themselves to leave.

"Wake up Ketchup, we're going." Ashton tapped the small dog awake. Ketchup let out a tired yawn before allowing himself to be picked up.

The four of them and Ketchup made their way through the halls carefully watching for the sign of more zombies.

"Do you think we'll ever find anyone, that we'll be stuck wandering like this forever?" Calum asked the group as they walked across the grass away from the building. It had been bothering him all afternoon.

There was silence for a moment.

"I have hope that maybe just maybe there's someone else out there. One day I know we're going to find them." Luke smiled. "We'll find a way out of this mess, I know it."

There were hopeful exchanges amongst the group and small nods. With those words the four of them and their dog set off into the dying sunset.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story’s all wrapped up now. It’s been a fun and short one to write. I will probably come back and edit this whole thing soon as I posted the last few chapters with little editing. ^^;
> 
>  
> 
> I hoped you enjoyed it and thank you so much for reading! ^^


End file.
